The Ancient Art of Falconry

Falconry, hunting with birds of prey, now more of an art than a necessity, has been practiced for over four thousand years. At first, it was a way to bring home a fresh meal that would otherwise have to be purchased from the market where it was often rancid (hence the addition of spices.).

Today, it is considered a form of modern sport hunting. But, most of the equipment practice and techniques used to train and hunt with falcons, hawks, eagles or owls have changed little since it began.

Throughout history people have held a special fascination for the birds of prey. They have come to be known as symbols of freedom, courage, prowess, strength and daring.

Before guns arrived on the scene birds of prey were prized not only as a tool for the hunt but for their beauty, intelligence, elegance and majesty. In the Middle Ages only the kings and nobility were permitted to hunt with birds like eagles and falcons. Commoners caught with any of these birds would be brutally punished, among other horrors, by having the hand that held the eagle or falcon cut off! But common Man was allowed only to use a hawk or buzzad.

Back then those hawks were referred to as "pot hawks" since they were not considered majestic and simply provided 'food for the pot'.

With the advent of guns, however, birds of prey quickly lost their enviable status and the pendulum swung from prizing them as hunting partners to despising them as competition for the game. Large land owners employed 'game keepers' whose job it was to shoot, on sight, any bird of prey that had the audacity to show itself on the Master's estate. And, soon, these noble birds were considered vermin.

This sentiment came over to this country with our early settlers and up until the late 1950's, in some states, birds of prey were routinely poisoned, trapped and shot by the thousands every year. And some states would actually pay the public for the scalps of birds of prey. But as many began to disappear and people became more conscious of their vital role in nature, they soon received complete protection.

Now it is illegal, not only to harm any bird of prey or its nest or possess it as a pet, it is even illegal to possess one feather without a permit from the federal government.

Modern falconry is a federally and state controlled sport. Everything from the kind of birds used, to their housing, equipment, handling and husbandry right down to the size shape and type of their bath-pans are tightly regulated. And complete records of all of activities must be submitted in the form of an annual report every year to both the state and the federal government.  But, in spite of the strict regulations and obstacles, this ancient sport is still carried on by a relative handful of dedicated falconers throughout the country.

This is a time consuming sport that requires knowledge and patience in order to keep the birds healthy and fit. Beginning falconers must apprentice with a Master Falconer for two years before they qualify as an independent General Falconer. While each State limits the kind of raptor a person is allowed to possess as an apprentice, most often, a red-tailed hawk is the chosen bird since they are the most available and abundant throughout the continental United States.

The apprentice usually traps his bird, under the watchful eye of his sponsor. A red-tail may also be taken from a wild nest but this is usually not done since they can be imprinted (in a nutshell imprinting is a natural part of its development that occurs when a chick begins to focus its eyes on its parents and learns who he/she is. If humans are there at that critical time... it will identify with them) on humans and as adults can become too aggressive and territorial to fly safely. So, most red-tails are captured on their first migration as what is known as a passage bird. Adults or Haggards are not allowed to be trapped and used in the sport.

While many people would enjoy the experience of simply holding a bird of prey up close and looking into its eyes and watching it fly, many are neither interested in hunting or putting the time, effort, money, permits and training required to practice the sport.  And so, falconry simply isn’t for everyone. But, it is thrilling to watch.

Not only is it thrilling to witness a falcon stoop (dive) at over 200 mph for it prey, it is also thrilling to see a hawk lead his partner, the falconer, through the fields in pursuit of prey. This is the most intimate form of bird watching! Becoming the hunting partner of one of these incredible birds is nothing short of awesome.

The birds are trained to associate the falconer with its meal which, at first, is offered on the glove. Through weeks of months of dedicated training, the falconer must become a trusted partner. This means, unlike the training of dogs for instance which often involves correction, only positive rewards can be used. A hawk simply never forgets and the bond of trust can be broken in an instant by any negative action on the part of the falconer. If this training isn't done properly and a bond formed, the hawk will simply fly away at the first chance it gets. And so, everything must be done with patience, reward and sensitivity.

Many people think that the falcon or hawk brings its catch back to the falconer. But this couldn't be further from the truth. It is up to the falconer to go to the bird which means tromping through woods, brush, thickets and fields to get to his bird. That is why bells are used, to help the falconer locate his bird. And why, in addition to an extra hunting partner, dogs are also used as part of the team.

Once the falconer gets to his bird, he slowly approaches it with a nice fresh piece of meat. He can never, under any circumstances take food away from his bird. That would be stealing and an unforgivable and unforgettable offense to the bird. Instead they make an exchange, a nice piece of fresh meat for the catch. Often the quarry is given to the falcon or hawk later rather than cooked up and eaten by the falconer and his family especially in the case of squirrels, rabbits and birds like starlings.

One of the only modern additions to falconry is the transmitter and receiver. Often falconers use a transmitter on a falcon since their hunting mostly takes place in the air which introduces the possibility of its loss to being chased by another bird or spotting prey miles away or other things outside a falconer’s control, as opposed to a hawk that mostly flies from tree to tree within view of the falconer. A transmitter can help a falconer locate his birds through a signal which can be picked up for at least five miles.

If you are interested in learning more about Falconry there are many great books on the subject, my favorite being North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks which can be found on falconrybooks.com along with many others.

But for the classic children's book My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George is, well, nothing short of the best. So many falconers were inspired by this book as children. And it is simply a must read for all nature loving children and adults.